Using Media Literacy to Meet State Standards
Frank Baker, media educator
[email protected]
Media Literacy Clearinghouse
http://medialit.med.sc.edu
Included in the text
“101 Best Web Sites for Secondary Teachers”
Kids & Media
Kaiser Family Foundation: Generation M
Need for media literacy
“Our students are growing up in a world
saturated with media messages…yet,
they (their teachers/parents) receive little
or no training in the skills of analyzing or
re-evaluating these messages, many of
which make use of language, moving
images, music, sound effects.
Source: R.Hobbs, Journal Adult & Adolescent Literacy, February 2004
“Results That Matter”
3/24/06
Today's graduates need to be critical thinkers,
problem solvers and effective communicators who
are proficient in both core subjects and new, 21st
century content and skills. These 21st century skills
include learning and thinking skills, information and
communications technology literacy skills, and life
skills. Twenty-first century skills are in demand for
all students.
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/
Recognizing Media Literacy
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American Association of School Libraries
National Council for Teachers of English
International Reading Association
National Council of Social Studies
National Middle Schools Association
WH Office of Natl Drug Control Policy
What is media literacy?
Write a definition:
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What does media literacy mean to you?
OR
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Why should students be media literate?
video
Media literacy
Media literacy is concerned with helping students
develop an informed and critical understanding
of the nature of mass media, the techniques used
by them, and the impact of these techniques.
More specifically, it is education that aims to
increase the students' understanding and
enjoyment of how the media work, how they
produce meaning, how they are organized, and
how they construct reality. Media literacy also
aims to provide students with the ability to create
media products.
Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario
State teaching standards
Media literacy in state standards
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English/Language Arts
Social Studies/History
Health
1999
46
30
30
2006
50
34
45
Source: Has media education found a curricular foothold?
10/27/99 Education Week
Standards: English/Language Arts
Connecticut
Massachusetts
discuss how an author,
illustrator or filmmaker
expresses his/her ideas
in text
identify techniques used
in TV and use knowledge
of these techniques to
distinguish between facts
and misleading
information
Standards: Social Studies
Vermont
Massachusetts
identify and distinguish
among the uses and
forms of propaganda
describe and evaluate
data and materials
related to voter turnout,
media coverage and
editorializing, campaign
advertising,
campaign financing
Standards: Health
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Identify and explain how students bring in
the media may influence cigarette ads from
behaviors and decisions magazines and discuss
their impact on
consumers, especially
children
Media literacy: key concepts
 All
media are constructions
 The media construct reality
 Audiences negotiate meaning
 Media have commercial
implications
Media literacy key concepts
Media contain ideological & value
messages
 Media have social & political
implications
 Form and content are closely related
 Each medium has unique aesthetic
form
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Media as constructions
Media as languages
Language of film
Camera work
Lighting
Editing
Sets
Sound/music
Costumes
Expressions
Media: value messages
Audiences negotiate meaning
Media as businesses
FOX (News Corp)
NBC (NBC/Universal)
CBS (Viacom)
ABC (Disney)CNN
(AOL/Time Warner)
Critical thinking questions
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Who produced and/or paid for the message?
What is the purpose of the message?
Who is the ‘target audience’ ?
What techniques are used to both attract
attention and increase believability?
What lifestyles are promoted and why?
Does the message contain bias or
stereotypes?
Techniques
Techniques
Video
Techniques
DATELINE HOLLYWOOD:
NBC STARTS USING POP-UP ADS DURING PRIMETIME
Struggling network tries new way to boost ad revenue
Critical thinking questions
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Why is this message being sent?
Who stands to benefit from the message?
Who or what might be omitted and why?
How might different people interpret the
message differently from me?
What can I do with the information I obtain
from the message?
What do you know; not know; like to know?
Where The Girls Aren’t:
A February 2006 study
examined G rated films
from 1990-2004:
72% characters male
22% characters female
“We know that kids learn their
value by seeing themselves
reflected in the culture..what
message are we sending if
they see so few female
characters?” Geena Davis
Visual literacy
In what ways does this fake prescription drug
web page look like the real thing?
Student produced media
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Single camera production
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Animaction- anti tobacco animated PSA
Resources
Media Literacy Clearinghouse
http://medialit.med.sc.edu
Center for Media Literacy
www.medialit.org
Media Awareness Network (Canada)
http://www.media-awareness.ca/
Media Literacy Clearinghouse
http://medialit.med.sc.edu
Frank Baker
media education consultant
[email protected]